Printed sheet containing user folded envelope with coin pocket

ABSTRACT

A sheet adapted to be formed as a page of a brochure or as an insert in a magazine has imprinted thereon a form adapted to be filled in by a user and then folded along a printed line and formed into an envelope using a gummed line applied to the sheet during the printing process. A rectangular coin pocket is adhered to the sheet along three of its edges. The pocket straddles the fold line so that when the envelope is folded and sealed the opening in the coin pocket is closed off. In an alternative embodiment the opening in the coin pocket is closed off by a gummed flap which may be adhered to the envelope.

United States Patent [191 1 3,826,422 Dickinson July 30, 1974 PRINTEDSHEET CONTAINING USER Primary Examiner-William l. Price FOLDED ENVELOPEWITH COIN POCKET Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe I [75] Inventor:Robert H. Dickinson, Birmingham, Attorney Agent or Flrmfiplsher KrassYoung Mich, a dt V ,7 v V [73] Assignee: George F. Valassis & Company,Oak [57] ABSTRACT Park, Mich. h d f h v A s eet adapte to be formed as apage 0 a broc ure 1221 1972 or as an insert in a magazine has imprintedthereon :1 [2| App]. N0.: 280,616 form adapted to be filled in by a userand then folded along a printed line and formed into an envelope using agummed line applied to the sheet during the printing 3% 229/68 process.A rectangular coin pocket is adhered to the l 1 ll. Sheet along three ofits edges. The pocket straddles [58] held of Search 229/72 68 56 thefold line so thatwhen the envelope is folded and sealed the opening inthe coin pocket is closed off. In [56] References C'ted an alternativeembodiment the opening in the coin UNITED STATES PATENTS pocket isclosed off by a gummed flap which may be 2,268,795 l/l942 Bcrkowitz229/72 adhered to the envelope.

3,159,329 l2/l964 Hierstciner.... 229/68 R 3.173.602 3/!965 Clip'ncr229/56 3 Clalms, 5 Drawmg Flgllres PAIENIED M30814 El SEND ME YOUR BIGBOOK DSEND ME YOUR CATALOG U HAVE YOUR AGENT CALL.

(D INSER*T 25 FOTD 5N THIS LJNE NAM E STREET CITY 5' STATE SMITH BOOKCO. 1000 MAIN ST. NEW YORK, NY. IOOOO PRINTED SHEET CONTAINING USERFOLDED ENVELOPE WITH COIN POCKET FIELD OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a sheet, adapted to be used as a page of a brochure or as aninsert in a magazine, having a user-foldable envelope form thereon and acoin pocket secured to the envelope form.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Advertisements in newspapers or magazinesoften include a form which may be filled out by the reader and mailed tothe advertiser or the publication to order various goods or services.

In order to make the ordering process as simple as possible and therebyencourage the use of these forms, the forms are foldable into envelopeswith a pre-paid postage notice. Certain types of the forms areimpregnated with moisture activatable glue lines which may be used toform the envelope.

It is often desirable from the advertiser's standpoint that the ordersfor the goods or services include some payment; either total payment forthe goods offered or a lesser amountto show good faith on the part ofthe orderer. If the required. payment is more than a dollar or so,payment is most conveniently made with a check or money order, however,if the payment required is a lesser amount, such as 25 or it is mostconveniently madeby coin. Past practice has been to allow the user tomake his own decision as to the manner in which the coin should beretained in the envelope created by folding and adhering the form. Someusers tape the coin to the interior wall of the envelope, others merelydrop the coin in the envelope. This arrangement for including coins inform envelopes is unsatisfactory from a number of aspects. First, if thecoins are retained in the envelope in a random form the expense ofreceiving and processing the orders is substantially increased.Additionally, loose coins may tear through the envelope or provide anunnecessary temptation for persons handling the mail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a printedform which is adapted to be employed as a page of a brochure or as aninsert in a publication which has imprinted thereon a form adapted to befilled in by a user and folded along a printed line and formed into anenvelope using a gummed line applied to the sheet during the printingprocess which form additionally contains a pocket adapted to receive acoin and to retain it within the envelope. This pocket simplifies theordering process. removes the users doubt as to the method of retainingthe coin within the envelope, insures security of the coin during themailing process and allows for economical and automatic removal of thecoins from the finished package.

In a preferred form of the invention the coin pocket takes the form of asmall rectangular sheet of paper adhered to the form along three of itsedges so that its fourth edge is open for the receipt of a coin into thepocket. This fourth edge is disposed adjacent to the printed fold lineused to close the envelope while the major portion of the pocket is onthe opposite side of the fold line so that after a coin is inserted inthe pocket folding and sealing the envelope closes off the pocket toretain the coin therein.

In an alternate embodiment the coin pocket again takes the form of asmaller separate section of paper adhered to the form along all of itsedges except one. The free edge has a flap extending from it. A line ofadhesive is formed on the envelope under the flap. This line may bemoistened to attach the flap to the form after a coin has been insertedin the pocket.

Both types of coin pockets may be formed and attached to the insert onexisting automatic machinery such as that which provides the cellophanesections for window envelopes. The coin pockets accordingly add verylittle to the cost of the forms. The coin pockets are simple to use andencourage'insertion of coins in the pockets.

Other objectives, advantages and applications of the invention will bemade apparent by the following detailed descriptions of two preferredembodiments of the invention. The descriptions make reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an eight-page brochure, spread in openform, containing an order page foldable into an envelope and including acoin pocket in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the order page of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the order page of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed section of a page containing a coin pocket formedin accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the coin pocket of FIG. 4 taken along line5-5 of that FIGURE.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a brochure, generallyindicated at 10, of a type which might be used in direct mailadvertising and might be contained as an insert in a publication. Onepage 12 of the brochure, often the last or next to the last page, is ofsuch a form that the user may tear it out of the brochure, fill in-aform contained therein, and fold and seal the form so as to create apreaddressed envelope.

The front of the page 12 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2. Thepage has a water activatable glue line 14 formed along its upper edge.Midway along its length an imprinted fold line 16 is formed. The page isseparated from the brochure and is folded along the line 16 so that itsbottom edge is brought into contact with the adhesive line 14. The twomay be sealed by wetting the adhesive line. In another embodimentsimilar adhesive lines might be formed along the side edges tocompletely enclose the envelope thus formed.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the address 18 to which the completed envelopeis to be sent is usually imprinted on the opposite side of the page anda prepaid postage notice 20 may also be imprinted thereon.

The page 12 has imprinted thereon a form which allows the user to fillin information relative to his order, usually including his name andaddress. The form Ishould also contain instructions for forming theenveope.

As thus far described, the page 12 is relatively conventional. Thepresent invention is distinguished from the prior art by the presence ofa coin pocket generally indicated at 22. The coin pocket is formed onthe side of the sheet which becomes the interior of the folded envelope.It consists of a small rectangular sheet of paper 24 adhered to thesheet 12 along its bottom of two side edges, which are aligned withequivalent edges of the sheet 12. The upper edge of the pocket 22 isopened and lies in general alignment with the fold line 16. The pocketstraddles the fold line 16 with the free edge 22 lying on one side ofthe line and the major portion of the pocket lying on the other side.Thepocket 22 has a sufficient size so that its section which lies belowthe line 16 can retain a coin of the size which is intended to beinserted. After a coin is inserted in the pocket, the sheet is foldedalong-line 16 to effectively seal the open edge of the pocket and retainthe coin therein.

An alternate form of coin pocket for formation on an envelope foldablesheet is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. A sheet 30 having an appropriatefold line 32 and a form 34 for completion by the user contains a coinpocket generally indicated at 36 having a circular section 38 and arectangular extending flap 40. The edge of the circular section 3 isadhered to the form 30 by an appropriate adhesive. Glue line 42 isformed on the form 30 below the flap 40. The pocket 36 may be disposedat any position relative to the fold line 32 and need not be inimmediate proximity to the fold line. After a coin is inserted into thepocket 36 the adhesive line 42 is activated with moisture and it isadhered to the form, thus closing off the pocket.

Both types of coin pocket may be formed along with the printed page inautomatic machinery of the type that inserts the transparent material inwindow envelopes. Such machines include sheet feeders, cutters and glueSpreaders and accordingly may be readily adapted to the formation offorms in accordance with the present inventionv Having thus described byinvention, 1 claim:

1..A first sheet having a form printed thereon and having an adhesiveline formed along one edge and a fold line imprinted parallel to anddisplaced from said adhesive line so that the sheet may be folded onsaid fold line and sealed along the adhesive line to form an envelope,including a coin pocket attached to the sheet on the side which formsthe interior of the completed envelope, said coin pocket consisting of asecond smaller sheet having a section of its edge adhered to the firstsheet and one section of its edge free to project from the sheet so thata coin may be inserted between the first sheet and the second sheet,said free section of the coin pocket being disposed adjacent to and onone side of the fold line with the main portion of the pocket lying onthe opposite side of the fold line so that when the envelope is foldedthe pocket is closed off by the fold.

2. The first sheet of claim 1 wherein the first sheet forms one page ofa multi-page brochure. 3. The first sheet of claim 1 wherein said firstsheet and said second smaller sheet are both rectangular and the secondsmaller sheet is adhered to the first sheet so that their edges areparallel to one another.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECT-ION Patent No.3,826,422 Dated July 30, 1974 Invent0r(s) Robert H. Dickinson It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column-1:, line 29 after both "25" and "10" insert Column 3, line 19change "3" to 38.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents uscOMM-Dc man-P59 u.s. sovznuusm PRINTING om F ORM PO-105O(10-69)

1. A first sheet having a form printed thereon and having an adhesiveline formed along one edge and a fold line imprinted parallel to anddisplaced from said adhesive line so that the sheet may be folded onsaid fold line and sealed along the adhesive line to form an envelope,including a coin pocket attached to the sheet on the side which formsthe interior of the completed envelope, said coin pocket consisting of asecond smaller sheet having a section of its edge adhered to the firstsheet and one section of its edge free to project from the sheet so thata coin may be inserted between the first sheet and the second sheet,said free section of the coin pocket being disposed adjacent to and onone side of the fold line with the main portion of the pocket lying onthe opposite side of the fold line so that when the envelope is foldedthe pocket is closed off by the fold.
 2. The first sheet of claim 1wherein the first sheet forms one page of a multi-page brochure.
 3. Thefirst sheet of claim 1 wherein said first sheet and said second smallersheet are both rectangular and the second smaller sheet is adhered tothe first sheet so that their edges are parallel to one another.